Modular EV

November 19, 2021, 12:07:35 PM

I was talking about cars in general with my son, and together we kind of came up with an idea.

The problem with EVs is 1. the lifespan of the batteries, and 2. they are so loaded with ingrained tech that a 5-10 year old EV is kind of obsolete.

So what if a basic car platform could be built in a modular way, a bit like old cars - or kit cars.

A chassis / space frame / backbone or what have you.
Swappable batteries and motors so they could be easily upgraded.
A bolt in control system (CPU).
And a body of some kind - or selection of available styles.

Granted this ignores air-bags and side curtains, and various safety features etc so in its most basic form wouldn't pass Euro standards.
But wouldn't it be a great idea if someone produced something like this.

Imagine you could upgrade your batteries and motors as they wore out or as finances allowed.
You could fit a newer control system as tech advanced, after all it's how the brain send information to the motor that allows it to get more out of the motor.
And you could potentially swap body styles, to a lightweight two seater for the daily commute (making the most of battery and motor power) or fit the cargo load for the road trip.

Bonded aluminium frames would add strength without weight, bodies could be composites of plastic, fibreglass or more likely carbon fibre or kevlar.

You might end up with a Triggers Broom kind of car, but there's no reason your initial investment couldn't set you up for the next 20 years. Is this the future of transport?

Re: Modular EV

Reply #1 – November 19, 2021, 06:58:32 PM

Have a scan through Jonny Smiths Youtube channel, he's become something of an EV evangelist and there's a lot of content that'd interest you... Likes his classics too.

There's an older one where he visits a business where they convert old Mini's, but as an aside they were developing a modular pack that you bought and fitted to your vehicle of choice.

Don't remember the specifics now, nor if it ever came to anything.